Can i add dwarf cichlids?

[Murano22s]

Have a 46 gallon bow front, current stock gold nugget pleco l177, 3 neon tetras, 5 black skirt tetras, 5 adult guppies, some guppy fry... The tank is lightly planted but with hopes of a full aquascape, I run a aquaclear 70 on the tank for over filtration... There is about 50 pounds of rock, 2 medium size pieces of driftwood, and one small piece. I'm looking at a pair of German blue rams, and a pair of dwarf cockatoo cichlids. I do daily 10 percent water changes. My ph is 7.2 constant, though down the road I may add a co2 kit. My hope is that the cichlids eat the fry as they are good at hiding in the java fern. Also there are "pest" snails in the tank that I don't plan on removing.

 

[adeebm]

GBRs should do well in your tank, an I'm sure they would enjoy the guppy fry Don't have any experience with the cockatoo cichlids.

--Adeeb

 

[Murano22s]

GBRs should do well in your tank, an I'm sure they would enjoy the guppy fry Don't have any experience with the cockatoo cichlids.

--Adeeb

From what I have found online they have the same temperament, but I don't know if I can trust all of that I'd rather find someone with experience....

 

[toddnbecka]

I wouldn't put 2 species of substrate-spawning cichlids in that size tank. The cockatoos are a better bet than German blue Ram's, they don't need the temp as warm. Incidentally, the black skirts actually prefer a little cooler water than the neons, etc.

 

[tonyf1971]

I would be be careful mixing two different type of dwarf cichlid, I added Bolivian Ram's to a tank with German Ram's and had constant aggression from the Germans.

I would either go with one or the other, also consider Bolivian Rams bit more hardy than Germans and don’t require as high temp also stunning when they settle and mature.

 

[Hobgob]

You can put two dwarf cichlids together. The Rams I wouldn't seeing how similar try are but I have kept GBR and kribenis in 30 gallon before. There was 3 kribs and one GBR. And in a 35 two kribs and two gbr(i wanted to see what would breed first).As long as they is a lot of hiding spots it should be fine. Also GBR are not as hard to keep as everyone says they are. I had mine at 78 and they had some nice colour in them. I sold a tank to some guy at the time and he said my male GBR was the most colourful he saw. My female was on the small side though. But remember they are cichlids and each fish will have a different behavior then the last. Even if it's just a little bit. It could be the yes or no. Just see how they act. Add the least aggressive ones first so they have the time to adapt to the tank before the aggressive pair.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

You could also get a few stratia botia, or maybe kuhli loaches to eat the snails.

 

[VioletEmber]

Following-- your tank is similar to mine, though mine is too small to add two pairs of cichlids-- but those are the two kinds I want too! I have read a lot of different opinions on whether the rams and apistos can be in a tank together. Just when I am finally convinced they would work together, I read something that says no... I'd love to find out what you decide and how it works out.

 

[LyndaB]

You could also get a few stratia botia, or maybe kuhli loaches to eat the snails.

Kuhli loaches do not eat snails.